Yumiko’s Top 10 London Highlights

10. Get up really early –walk along the Thames at sun rise. The Glittering City will welcome you

9. Walk around Spitalfields and Shoreditch area – Where it used to be the grimy East End is not the hipcenter-central of London

8. Walk around Camden neighborhood (home of The Worlds End Camden). Now you can compare Shoreditch to Camden – determine which is more “cool”

7. Highgate Cemetery is a must. You can visit Highgate West only by small tour, guided by local historical society ladies and gents. Charles Dickens family members are there in the West (but not Charles himself for his grave is at Westminster Abby). Karl Max and Douglas Adams will welcome you to the East.

6. …and while you are Hampstead Heath, take a hike to The Spaniards Inn, sitting on the same spot for 400+ years, and frequented by Dickens himself. A certain member of a British boy band One Direction is rumored to live next door – if you need to convince your young teenage daughter to hike up the hill.

5. Visit Golden Union in Soho for good fish and chips. It was our cabbie who took us there and of course, London cabbies are always right

4. If you love dogs – especially Bulldogs – go to Kensington Garden on first Sunday of every month. You will not be disappointed.

3. Spend a day at The Old Bailey. You sure will see murder trials there – I have seen two, Your Lordship

2. If you are tired of National Gallery, V&A, British Museum – go to Tate Modern. Great view of the St Paul’s from the cafe, if your brain gets tired trying to understand “art” here. I loved reading the signage explaining how a piece of art ended up at Tate Modern.

1. The Goring – yes, the Best Afternoon Tea in London, if you ask me. You are not allowed to use your mobile phones or devices. Perfect way to torture your teenage kids while you quietly enjoy 2-hour tea time! That’s London!